Need for the Northern Beltline is Desperate
Any problem that ensues on the interstate system in Birmingham today has a pretty good chance of rapidly deteriorating into major traffic jams. Because we don’t yet have the Northern Beltline, east-west travelers passing through Birmingham have little option but to use the I-20/59 corridor through downtown, vastly magnifying any traffic issues that occur.
John Cooper writes, in an Op-Ed for AL.COM:
Look at what happened when I-20 East was recently closed for rebuilding. During peak travel periods, traffic from downtown Birmingham to the interchange between I-20/59 and I-459 was gridlocked. I know this because I was stuck there with you. And, as we inched along together, I noticed the line in front of me was dominated by large trucks. Knowing how information travels quickly among truckers, I couldn’t help but wonder why they were in this situation. Why did they not go another route?
Again, the answer is simple: there is no other route.
The Heart of Alabama’s Economic Recovery? The Construction Industry.
With Alabama’s legislature finding ways to balance the state’s budget, projects like the Northern Beltline that invest in the region’s economic development and create opportunities are the obvious solution to moving Alabama forward.
Jay Reed writes:
Alabama’s commercial construction industry is a vital and significant component of the economy and impacts more than half of our state’s employment. A study recently conducted by the Associated Builders and Contractors of Alabama found that commercial construction and the industries that feed it stimulated $9.349 billion of business in our state, and generated 150,000 full-time jobs in 2010 alone.
The Building of the Northern Beltline Will Be Environmentally Responsible
Alabama Governor Robert Bentley said that the Northern Beltline will be the best-designed highway in Alabama, and that during construction, the most care will be taken to minimize environmental impacts.
AL.com reports:
Calling the project one of his campaign promises, Bentley made the remark during a Tuesday press conference at Gardendale Public Library announcing the state has secured the final necessary permit to begin building the first 1.3-mile segment of the highway.
Economic Development Projects and the ATRIP Funds List
The director of the Alabama Department of Transportation recently said that economic development projects have sent three counties to the top of the state’s $1 billion road and bridge program.
AL.com reports:
A chart compiled by AL.com showed that Cullman County, Madison County and Tuscaloosa County received more per capita than the other 20 largest counties under the Alabama Transportation Rehabilitation and Improvement Program.
Approval Process For Northern Beltline Should Be Streamlined
According to U.S. Rep. Spencer Bachus, large construction projects such as the Northern Beltline are delayed by “protracted” permitting processes which should be simplified.
AL.com reports:
“One thing we can all agree on is that we need more jobs and construction jobs are some of the best paying jobs out there,” Bachus said. “Unfortunately, a big roadblock to creating more of these jobs is the inexcusably slow review process imposed by Washington on the permitting of new construction projects.